Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a significant operation ahead of the festive season, food safety officers in Indore seized 750 kg of spurious fennel seeds (saunf) suspected to be laced with harmful colour additives, on Thursday. The fennel, which was reportedly imported from Unjha, Gujarat, was confiscated during a surprise inspection of Mahalaxmi Traders in Siyaganj.
The seized stock, valued at Rs 97,500 has been sent for testing to determine its safety and compliance with food standards. This action is part of a broader crackdown on substandard and unsafe food products in the district.
As festival demand for items such as milk, sweets, namkeen, oil, and spices increases, additional collector Gaurav Benal, under the direction of collector Asheesh Singh, has formed three teams of food safety officers to intensively inspect food manufacturing, sale, and transportation across Indore.
Daily inspections and mobile testing
Teams of food safety officers are conducting daily inspections in both urban and rural areas. “On Thursday, officers collected samples of mawakatli from Bhairavnath Gujarati Kadhi Fafda in Nehru Nagar, as well as mawapeda and malaibarfi from Shri Charbhuja Sweets. In addition, food items at 10 establishments in Nehru Nagar were tested on the spot using a mobile food testing lab. Products that did not meet quality standards were sampled for further analysis,” senior food safety officer Manish Swami said.
Ensuring food quality and hygiene
Swami added, "Establishment operators were advised on maintaining proper hygiene, conducting regular medical checkups for employees, ensuring compliance with pest management systems, and testing raw materials and finished products to guarantee food safety,” he said.
All collected samples will be sent to the State Food Testing Laboratory in Bhopal for detailed examination, with legal action to follow based on the results. The Food Safety Administration will continue its stringent monitoring to ensure the availability of safe and quality food during the festival season.
